News

Wesleyan Bike Rental Program (WesBikes) Rides Forward!

According to the WSA Mid-Year Survey, 94% of students who responded wanted to see a bike rental program created on campus. You wanted it, and we got it: over the course of the past semester, the WSA, the Environmental Organizer’s Network (EON), Legs Energized Get It Together (LEGIT), Physical Plant, Public Safety (PSafe), and Pedal Power collaborated to turn the idea into a reality. The Wesleyan Bike Rental Program (WesBikes), a fleet of 25 new, rentable bikes, will start at the beginning of the Fall 2010 Semester, providing a great affordable, convenient, and sustainable transportation option for students!

WesBikes Logo designed by Max Ward '13

The way the program is set up, students participating will rent a bike, U-Lock, and helmet for either $25 or $20, depending on which rental period (see below) they are signed up for, and keep those items for use the duration of that rental period. There are two rental periods, the first lasting 8 weeks, the second lasting 6 weeks, as the program will not be operating when winter weather, and thus riding, conditions are most dangerous.

Starting now and continuing through the beginning of the Fall 2010 Semester, anyone interested in participating in the program should send an e-mail to me saying so at jodonnell@wesleyan.edu. Your name will then be added to the listserve, after which you’ll receive important updates and notifications about how, when, and where to rent a bike.

Over the next few weeks and summer, it’s important to spread the word about WesBikes to as many students as possible, as well as find students interested in helping run the program. If you’re interested in participating, tell your friends as well, and stay tuned for Wesleying posts and Argus articles for further updates. If you’re interested in assisting with publicity efforts, or wish to get involved with the administration and oversight of the program, including potentially becoming the Program Director, please e-mail me at the same address above.

I look forward to seeing many of you riding WesBikes around campus next year!

rphukan

I don’t understand the logic of not allowing people to ride their bikes from the start of the spring semester till spring break. That time period is no more dangerous than that before the start of winter break, as conditions are the same.

Joe O’Donnell ’13, SAC

Rish, the main reason we decided on the hiatus between Winter and Spring breaks was not only because of liability concerns, but also the issue of the bikes being exposed to the worst of the elements and more likely to break down (despite how well the renters take care of them) during that period. You’re right that the weather before the start of Winter break isn’t great either, and we decided to shorten the first rental period to around 8 weeks to avoid the early December snow. The four week period between Winter and Spring breaks is pretty consistently snowy, icy and generally mucky, and we didn’t want to disadvantage those students renting during the Spring semester by having them ride in conditions that were more likely to lead to damages to the bikes, accidents, etc.

Also, as next year is going to be the pilot program, we’re going to reassess many aspects of the program (reported usage, participant satisfaction, etc.) as it progresses to see which rental period duration works best, whether we should have the hiatus between Winter and Spring breaks at all, and a host of other operational issues we can tweak and refine over time.